Severe Weather Shelter update

 

At the Kingston Cares Severe Weather Shelter (SWS) besides a warm dry place to rest and sleep, stories are shared.   An inclusive community grows.

The SWS, in the Kingston Community Center,  has been open, by  this writing, 19 days from Thanksgiving week through the New Years weekend. 19 active volunteers on 86 shifts have welcomed 32 guests in from the cold.  When the overnight weather is freezing or otherwise inclement the Kitsap County  Department of Emergency Management (DEM) announces an opening and alerts the volunteer list.   Volunteers sign up for one of three shifts from 5pm to 8am .  Two volunteers share a shift.  If the roster is filled by 11:30am that day the shelter is declared open.  Guests may check in between 6pm and 9pm.  If there are no guests by 9pm the shelter closes for the night. 

DEM notifies Kitsap Transit of shelter status, and the buses advertise the shelters (there is also one in Bremerton at the Salvation Army) are open on their electronic signs. The police, sheriffs department, fire stations and Tribal emergency services are notified. Our volunteers contact 36 local businesses who post "Shelter Open" signs in their windows.  The shelters are open to all.

It takes a lot of folks and energy to make our SWS happen.  If you are interested in being involved, please volunteer.  All volunteers receive a background check and 3 hours of training before receiving the DEM Emergency Worker certification and badge.  The next training is January 11.  Contact us if interested or call Michele at DEM at 360-307-5871.

Donating items is another way folks like to support the SWS.  We are grateful but unfortunately we have limited space to handle and store donations.  Please call Jim at 297-4579 to discuss what you have in mind.  We can best use gift cards for local businesses, debit cards, or cash. We have a 501c3 we can use.

The DEM, the Parks Department, the Library, Kitsap Transit, emergency services,  the local business community and  community members all join with  Kingston Cares  to make our shelter happen. 

There are 3 ways to get more information on Kingston's  Severe Weather Shelter or to contact us. Our  Facebook page is KingstonCaresNK. Our website is kingstoncaresnk.org. Our e-mail is kcaresnk@gmail.com.  We would  love to hear from you. Spread the word!  Join this growing inclusive community.